1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to medical devices, more particularly the present invention is directed to adaptive optic scanning laser opthalmoscope (AOSLO) apparatus and methods configured with a plurality of deformable mirrors so as to compensate for optical aberrations in the eye under examination.
2. Description of Related Art
Adaptive optics has been utilized in a range of fields, such as, but not limited to remote sensing, atmospheric communications, correction of high power laser systems, and retinal imaging. With respect to retinal imaging, current adaptive optic systems and methods incorporate optical beams that are directed into the eye to form a spot on the retina and the reflected light is used to measure the aberrations that degrade the optical quality of the eye. Such measured aberrations can then be used to either improve the resolution of the deconvoluted retinal images or guide laser ablation apparatus for refractive surgery or provide the necessary information for eye spectacle prescription.
As another conventional arrangement, such measurements are used in real time to correct the measured aberrations with a single adaptive mirror. However, current technology cannot deliver the phase compensation needed using a single deformable mirror (DM) in a compact AOSLO system. Specifically, such single DM systems cannot collectively correct low-order aberrations with relatively large amplitudes while also correcting high-order aberrations with lower amplitudes so as to provide the necessary real-time ocular aberration corrections to achieve diffraction-limited in-vivo retinal images.
Background information for an adaptive optic scanning laser system using a single deformable mirror is described and claimed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,118,216 B2 entitled “Method And Apparatus For Using Adaptive Optics In A Scanning Laser Opthalmoscope,” issued Oct. 10, 2006, to Roorda, including the following, “A scanning laser opthalmoscope incorporates adaptive optics to compensate for wavefront aberrations in the eye. Light from a light source is scanned onto the retina. Light reflected from the retina is detected for imaging and is also used for wavefront sensing. The sensed wavefront aberrations are used to control an adaptive optic device, such as a deformable mirror, disposed in the path of the light from the source in order to compensate for the aberrations.”
Accordingly, a need exists for improved AOSLO methods and systems having at least two deformable optical components to provide real-time ocular aberration corrections in order to achieve diffraction-limited in-vivo retinal images. The present invention is directed to such a need.